CubeCAT Communication Terminal to Be Launched in 2022
The CubeCAT laser satellite terminal jointly developed by a Dutch consortium consisting of TNO and Hyperion Technologies is currently slated for launch in 2022 on board the NorSat-TD satellite.
"We chose to address the bottleneck of bandwidth with the development of CubeCAT and bring a new era to small satellites.”
Bert Monna, Managing Director of Hyperion Technologies.
The CubeCAT 'plug-and-play' terminal will allow for ultra-high data rates for small satellites, free of licencing fees and year-long application processes, according to Hyperion Technologies. It will enable future small satellites to downlink data with speeds up to 1 Gbps and uplink of 200 Kbps.
Currently, small satellites are limited in bandwidth using radio communications with much slower throughput. In addition, the application process to obtain a licence to send and receive on a dedicated radio frequency takes often one to two years. This is not the case for laser communication. “Our clients’ mission success depends very much on how much satellite data they can get back to Earth. Imagine having a novel camera onboard of a satellite that can shoot high-resolution images," said Bert Monna, Managing Director of Hyperion Technologies. "Within one 90 minute orbit it can only operate for four to six minutes because it cannot download all of the data fast enough. What doesn’t get downloaded, is overwritten in the next orbit. Does this mean we should take lower resolution images? Should we be satisfied with this quantity? Both options are not acceptable. We chose to address the bottleneck of bandwidth with the development of CubeCAT and bring a new era to small satellites.”
CubeCAT, with its 1U form factor, low power needs and low mass, can be easily integrated into small satellites. In addition, the developers added an on-board data management system, featuring a large data storage buffer, into the terminal.
To address a worldwide market, Hyperion counts on a robust value chain of Dutch laser equipment suppliers. Jointly organised in the FSO Instruments consortium, Hyperion is confident to be able to produce small series of CubeCATs for satellite constellations around the globe. Larger volumes will ultimately also reduce the cost of such missions.
The demonstration of CubeCAT relies of course on the availability of an optical ground station to receive data. Within the ScyLight project, TNO is building an optical ground station in The Hague, Netherlands. FSO Instruments as well as Hyperion are equally involved by providing key elements, ranging from optical benches, deformable mirrors and receiver technology. ESA’s optical ground station in Tenerife, Spain, and other stations will also support the downlinking of data. Ultimately, the consortium will be able to support laser communication needs for sending and receiving in space, air and ground.
“We believe that our solution will change the landscape of small satellites, for two reasons: First, together with TNO we are able to address all laser technology needs on space and on ground," Monna said. "This enables us to offer a holistic and integrated system from the start. Secondly, working with a research institute ensures that our solution is, and stays, cutting edge.”
(Source: Hyperion Technologies news release. Image courtesy Hyperion Technologies)